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A visit to New York State can get the ATV enthusiast's heart pumping with the anticipation of riding through the state's beautiful mountainous forests. While New York has few public ATV trails, you'll find private trails, clubs and tracks catering to the ATV enthusiast throughout the state.

Public Trails

Lewis County offers the state's only publicly accessible trail system. More than 400 miles of trail are open to those purchasing a per-vehicle permit through the county. Discounts are available to members of local ATV clubs. Kids ages 10 to 17 are allowed to ride after taking an ATV safety course and under the direct supervision of an adult. ATV trails in Lewis County are open from May 1 through the second Friday in October, as of 2013. The maximum speed limit on the trail system is 25 mph. Counties surrounding Lewis are planning interconnecting trail systems, aiming to establish a regional trail network.

Commercial Trails

Many trails in the state are privately owned and offered for commercial use. Some tracks focus on racing events and offer annual memberships with specific times for members to be able to practice at the site. The Trailpass ATV and Dirtbike Network (trailpass.com) offers members access to three riding areas in the state, plus dozens of other privately owned trails across the United States. Members also receive discounts and passes to OHV riding parks. The three New York trails included in a pass include privately owned wooded trails near Camden, Cohocton and Lake George.

Clubs

Another way to access ATV trails in New York State is to join an ATV club in an area where you wish to ride. The clubs maintain trails on networks of private land where members and their guests can ride. Some clubs have membership drives in which you can explore their trails during certain days of the year to determine if you would like to become a member. Be sure to know where the boundaries are. Bad trail etiquette such as riding without permission, littering or tearing up trails can close areas to future use.

Riding Legally

If you are a resident of New York, your ATV must be registered with the state whether you are riding on public or private land. For out-of-state visitors, your valid registration with your home state is all you need to operate in New York. If your home state does not require registration, you'll need to register in New York. The state allows kids ages 10 to 15 to ride unsupervised after taking an ATV safety course, although areas such as Lewis County maintain more stringent guidelines.

About the Author

Jodi Thornton O'Connell has been an outdoorswoman for more than 45 years. She shares her love of adventure in columns for "Out-and-About Magazine," "Adam’s Rib," "Senior Christian Lifestyles," "Creede Magazine" and various websites.

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